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How to Diagnose a Clogging Failure of the Septic Drainfield InspectAPedia®  -

• How to diagnose a clogging failure of the septic drainfield
• Cause of septic system component failures
• Definitions of septic failure for each component

This chapter discusses How to diagnose a clogging failure of the septic drainfield as one of the types of septic system failure in the drain field, leach field, seepage bed, or similar component. We list the causes of each type of septic component failure, and list the septic component failure criteria or in other words what conditions are defined as "failure"? How can you distinguish between a blocked pipe, a septic tank that needs pumping, and a clogged drainfield that needs replacement?

This is an important question as it distinguishes between relatively low cost maintenance or repair task and a costly septic leach field replacement. We also discuss what can be planted over and near a septic drainfield and what should be avoided. Also see Drainfield Location: how to find the septic drain field or leaching bed.

© Copyright 2010 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

DISPOSAL CLOGGING FAILURES - Effluent Disposal and Drain Clogging Failures

In simplest terms, there are two visible septic effluent or onsite wastewater disposal failures:

• Toilets or other fixtures back up into the house - but first see "Diagnosing Clogged Drains then return here using your browser's "BACK" button.
• Effluent or sewage appears at the surface of the yard, or the neighbor's yard!

Septic odors may also indicate a system failure or an imminent failure. But such odors may also be produced by defects in the plumbing vent system or other site conditions.

Beware, sewer gas contains methane and is explosive if it reaches a dangerous concentration inside a building.

Typical causes range from things that are easy and cheap to repair, to a need for complete system replacement:

• Clogged pipes
• Broken pipes
• Damaged tank
• Tipped distribution box
• Clogged/broken soil absorption piping
• Clogged absorption soils (grease & solids)
• Saturated soil absorption area

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SEPTIC SYSTEMS HOME
SEPTIC SYSTEM ARTICLES
HOME BUYERS GUIDE to SEPTIC SYSTEMS
HOME SELLERS GUIDE TO SEPTIC INSPECT
SEPTIC AUTHORITIES
SEPTIC BOOKS
SEPTIC CONSULTANTS
SEPTIC DRAINFIELD INSPECTION & TEST
  SEPTIC FIELD FAILURE CAUSES
  DISPOSAL CLOGGING FAILURES
  DISPOSAL vs TREATMENT
  SEPTIC DRAINFIELD LIFE
  SEPTIC FAILURE CRITERIA
  SOIL CONDITIONS
  PLANTS OVER SEPTICS
  SEPTIC FAILURE LAWSUIT
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN BASICS
SEPTIC SYSTEM DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECTION & TEST GUIDE
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ONLINE BOOK
SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE
SEPTIC TANK PUMPING PROCEDURE
SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION PROCEDURE
SEPTIC TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS
SEPTIC BOOKS REFERENCES CODES
SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT
TOILET ALTERNATIVES
VIDEO GUIDES: Septic Videos
VIDEO GUIDES - InspectAPedia.com
WASTEWATER TREATMENT BASICS
WATER, WELLS, WATER TANKS: TESTING GUIDE
WHAT CAN GO INTO TOILETS & DRAINS?

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
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More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• The Septic System Information Website home page for this topic
• Septic Systems Inspection, Testing, & Maintenance- online textbook. Detailed how to inspect, maintain, repair information
• The Home Buyer's Guide to Septic Systems
• Septic Tank Pumping Guide: When, Why, How to pump the septic tank
• Tank Location - How to Find the Septic Tank, how deep will the cover be, how to document its location
• Drainfield Layout: septic drainfield or leaching bed shape and placement considerations
• Drainfield Location: how to find the septic drain field or leaching bed
• Home & Outdoor Living Water Requirements
• Septic Tank Capacity vs Usage in Daily Gallons of Wastewater Flow, calculating required septic tank size, calculating septic tank volume from size measurements
• How Big Should the Leach Field Be? - table of soil percolation rate vs. field size
• Septic System Drainfield Absorption System Biomat Formation - what leads to drain field clogging and expensive drainfield repairs
• Table of Required Septic & Well Clearances: Distances Between Septic System & Wells, Streams, Trees, etc.

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